"I am hoping to
identify the studio that this precious family
photo was taken in. With no studio name
and only a distinctive backdrop and some anecdotal evidence to go on,
I know it is a long shot, but worth a try.

The Portrait is of two men, one standing, one
seated, in front of a painted backdrop of the Forth Bridge - the seated
man is sitting on a rusticated chair that bears an ID number for the
portrait (890)."

The Men

"The man standing
was my great uncle (my grandmother's brother)
Arthur Edward Weller. The other man is
believed to be James White. These two men were Admiralty civilians
(canteen staff) aboard the Lion-Class Battlecruiser HMS Princess Royal at
Rosyth.

Both men were killed during the Battle of
Jutland, when a shell pierced the armoured hull and passed through the
canteen before exploding on the armour surrounding the engine room.

This portrait was sent to my grandmother
shortly before her brother died on the 31st of May 1916.
He must have had it taken while on
shore-leave in Edinburgh. He was 22 years
old."

Back of the Postcard

"Sadly, there is no
studio mark on the back of this card.

My mother wrote "Uncle
Arthur Weller & friend" several years ago, so
that the family would know who the photo was of.

Themessage, "Haven't had a wet" was
written on the card by Arthur,
before he sent it. I'm not too sure what it
means. It could be a reference to his
coat, or to the fact that he hasn't had a drink
yet?

Be sure to let me
know if that backdrop or the chair is familiar
to you."

David Parfitt, Brighton, Sussex, England: April 28, 2010

Reply to David

Do you have any idea which studio this photo might
have been taken in. If so,
please email me, then I'll pass on your message to David.
Thank you.

Peter Stubbs: May 3, 2010

Photo 1

Reply

1.

David Turner

Craigmillar, Edinburgh

Thank you to David
Turner who wrote:

Message on the Postcard

"The reference, "Haven't had
a wet yet" is a naval term meaning "I've not had a drink yet."

David Turner, Craigmillar, Edinburgh: May 4, 2010

Photo 1

Reply

2.

John Smith

Paisley, Renfrewshire Scotland

Thank you to John
Smith, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, who replied:

Forth Bridge Backdrop

"I was looking at your site again and came
across this photo from David P:

"Photo 2 above is from
aWorld War I album. It has around 400
images that are named and dated from 1909 to 1920.
This photo was taken by Peter McGill in November
1914."

Private Paterson

"The photo is of Private H. Paterson 6th Bn
Black Watch Royal Highlanders who was killed in an accident at Dalmeny
Station. The photo has a Fourth Bridge backdrop.

Tommy Byers was the man who gave me his photo
collection back in 1976 at the age of 94. He was a resident in my family's
rest home. Tommy had collected and taken the photos that are in the
collection.

I'm trying to find out Private Paterson's
first name is if that is possible."

Dave Donatelli, Abbotsford, British
Columbia Canada: June 17, 2014

Postcard Portrait

I've not seen the back of this photo, but I assume that it is a
postcard portrait, similar to other photos from Peter
McGill's studio at South Queensferry. The proportions are
about right for it to be a postcard.

Peter
Stubbs: June 17, 2014

Photo 2

Reply

1.

Frank Hay

South Queensferry, Edinburgh

Thank you to Frank
Hay who, after reading the comments above, spoke to other members of
his Queensferry History Group. The group is now embarking on
an ambitious 4-year project to commemorate the centenary of World War I.

Frank wrote:

Newspaper Reports

"Our
team came up with a number of reports on this death.
I've summarised them thus:

Death of Forth Bridge Sentry25th November 1914

Background

Hugh Paterson, the eldest
son of William Paterson, cycle agent, Pitlochry, joined the
Territorial Army, 6th Black Watch Reserve Battalion in
the summer of 1914.He was just
sixteen years old.

When war was declared, he
was called up at Perth and then moved to Queensferry, Forth
defences. William Paterson had been very keen to serve at the front
but was disappointed when precluded from this service by his age.

Accident

On Wednesday 25th
November, 1914, while on sentry duty at Dalmeny Passenger Station,
William Paterson was run down by a train between
4 o’clock in the morning, when he came on duty, and 7.45 am,
when his body was found by a railway surfaceman.

His terribly mutilated
remains were taken to Dalmeny police mortuary. The exact
circumstances of his death are unknown but there was a heavy mist
that morning and he may not have seen the train that ran him down.

The Scotsman newspaper
reported, "Intimation of the tragic fatality cast a gloom over
Pitlochry".

Frank Hay, South Queensferry, Edinburgh:
June 18+19, 2014

Photo 2

Reply

2.

John Hadden

Edinburgh

Thank you to John Hadden who replied:

Message on the Postcard

"Here is an article
from 'The Scotsman'newspaper referring to sixteen-year old
Territorial, Hugh Paterson, a private in the 6th
Black Watch, whose body was found at the Dalmeny end of the Forth Bridge,
where he had been on sentry duty."

SENTRY KILLED AT THE FORTH BRIDGE

A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD TERRITORIAL

"About
eight o'clock yesterday morning the body of Hugh Paterson, a private
in the 6th Black Watch, was found at the Dalmeny end of the Forth
Bridge, where he had been on sentry duty. The
accident may have occurred any time between four o'clock in
the morning and the time when the body was found, and the exact
circumstances attending the fatality are unknown. It would appear,
however, that a heavy mist hid the approach of a train, which ran
him down and inflicted fatal injuries.

Private Paterson, who is
the eldest son of Mr William Paterson, cycle agent, Pitlochry, was
only sixteen years of age. He joined the Territorials this summer,
and proceeded to Fife with the battalion when war broke out. He was
very keen to go to the front with the others, a company who have
volunteered for active service abroad, and was disappointed that his
age meanwhile precluded him from thus serving his country.
Intimation of the tragic fatality
cast a gloom over Pitlochry."